Text message Miketz

Parashat Miketz (At the end of two years)

Pharaoh dreams two dreams. Easy to interpret, but none of his magicians were right in the interpretation.

Then comes Joseph, who has the correct interpretation. Pharaoh says: That is the right one.

How did Pharaoh know that was "the one"?

One nice explanation is that when Pharaoh dreamed, together with the dream he got the explanation of the dream. When he woke up he only remembered the dreams but not the explanations.

Joseph's explanation coincided with the explanation Pharaoh already knew but forgot.

Sometimes reminders are as good as new explanations.

We need to be thankful with those who teach us and to those who refresh our memory, too.

In memory of my beloved mother and teacher Miriam Rachel bat Israel Itzchak Z"L

Shabbat Shalom and Happy Hanukah 

Text message Vayeshev

Parashat Vayeshev (and he sat down)

Jacob gives Joseph a wonderful garment, a Ktenonet pasim.

Many interpretations were given to that word. A tunic with stripes, a tunic with long sleeves, a colorful tunic.

Was this what Joseph needed?

Jacob's family was a family of cowboys. They had cattle; therefore, the tunic was not really appropriate to working in the field. And, in fact, Joseph ends up dreaming about stalks of grain and not about cattle.

Jacob's intention was, probably, to "help" Joseph to become the firstborn without suffering as he did.

Sometimes we have to understand that what we want is not what our kids need...

In memory of my beloved mother and teacher Miriam Rachel bat Israel Itzchak Z"L

Vayishlach Text message

Parahsat Vayishlach (and Jacob sent)

The Torah speaks about a character who will only appear in this section and will not appear again.

Dvorah was the wet-nurse of Rivkah.

The Torah tells us that she died and was buried in a place called Alon Bachut, the oak of weeping. That is all the information we have.

Why do you think the Torah is telling us this?

Great question, because most of the commentators do not have a good answer.

Dvorah was important when Rivkah was a little girl and Rivkah didn’t forget. Imagine what a wet nurse could have done in those days after she got old? Probably nothing.

The verse that speaks about Dvorah teaches us we never have to forget those who helped us in our life.

In memory of my beloved mother and teacher Miriam Rachel bat Israel Itzchak Z"L

Vayetze Text Message

Parashat Vayetze (And Jacob left)

Jacob leaves Beer Sheva in order to go to Haran. He sleeps on the ground, and Hashem speaks to him and says: " I will give you and your descendants the land on which you are lying."

A simple reading of the text will mean that Jacob and his descendants will receive the land of Israel.

I strongly believe there is a deeper message. Jacob will be receiving 6 square feet of land like everybody else. We will all receive the same piece of "land."

The difference is what we can accomplish in life so those who come after us will be able to remember the person who rests in that piece of land.

In memory of my beloved mother and teacher Miriam Rachel bat Israel Itzchak Z"L

Text message Parashat Toldot

Parashat Toldot (Generations)

"And Isaac digged again the wells of water, which they had digged in the days of Abraham his father. For the Philistines had stopped them after the death of Abraham. And he called their names after the names by which his father had called them."

Many people will read this verse and interpret that Isaac only repeated what others did. His only virtue is to do again what Abraham did. No creativity, just repetitiveness.

I see that verse in a completely different way. Only through Isaac can we learn about Abraham digging many wells (in plural); otherwise, there is no mention in the Torah about that.  If Isaac didn't dig the same wells, we would have completely missed that story.

Learning through you what others did has double merit, educating and honoring others as well.

In memory of my beloved mother and teacher Miriam Rachel bat Israel Itzchak Z"L

Chayei Sarah Text message

Parashat Chayei Sarah (the lives of Sarah)

How old was Rebecca when she married Isaac?

If you ask a yeshiva student, the answer immediately will be 3 (three!!!) years old.

If you ask a Talmud scholar, the answer will be 14 (fourteen!!!) years old.

If you ask me, the answer will be... I have no idea...

The Torah does not tell us how old she was, but the Torah tells us about her strength, diligence, respect, and sense of help.

Even further... The Torah (in a very delicate way) tells that in some aspects she is better than Isaac. 

Genesis 24:63-64 "And Isaac went out to meditate in the field at the eventide. And he lifted up his eyes, and saw, and, behold, there were camels coming. And Rebecca lifted up her eyes, and she saw Isaac."

Same distance... he sees camels; she sees people...

It is not about age, gender, profession or social class... It is about our virtues and how we can help others.

In memory of my beloved mother and teacher Miriam Rachel bat Israel Itzchak Z"L

Text message Vayera

Parashat Vayera (Hashem appeared)

Among the commentators of the Torah, there were many arguments. Each of them had their point of view and their interpretations were influenced by many different circumstances.

One of the most known discrepancies between Rambam (Maimonides) and Ramban (Nachmanides) takes place in this parasha.

"And he (Abraham) lifted up his eyes and looked, and lo, three men stood by him."

Were they men or angels? Maimonides denies that Avraham could possibly have seen angels, since, according to the Rambam, angels, who are immaterial, cannot be seen. He states that the entire story was a prophetic vision of Abraham's, but not an actual event in the real world.

Nachmanides said, on the contrary, it is possible to see and talk with angels.

If we follow Rambam's opinion, we may offend Ramban, and vice versa!!!

So what do we do? Were they angels, or just people?

If we start treating people like angels... We may get the answer.

In memory of my beloved mother and teacher Miriam Rachel bat Israel Itzchak Z"L